Lowestoft College students help victims of Yorkshire floods
Lowestoft College students visited York to help clear up after the floods. - Credit: Archant
College students moved by the flooding devastation in the north of England travelled to York to help those affected by the disaster after collecting dozens of donations from generous members of the public.
Lowestoft College students visited York to help clear up after the floods. - Credit: Archant
Rachel Bunn, curriculum and quality director at Lowestoft College, set up a Facebook page for people in Waveney to help with the floods because: 'I really felt we needed to do something.'
When she returned to the St Peter's Street college after the Christmas break, she found that students also wanted to do their bit to help.
They sat down with staff to discuss which businesses to approach for donations and how best to help.
But Miss Bunn said: 'We didn't appreciate just how supportive businesses and individuals are in Lowestoft – it was really phenomenal.
'We even had children bringing their toys in and saying: 'Someone else needs them more.'
The college collected so many items including clothes, toys, food and cleaning products that eight members of staff and 28 students took two transit vans to Elland, near York, on Friday, January 8.
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What they saw shocked them, as they came across families still living upstairs because their ground floors were flooded and people living without any gas or electric.
'It was heart-rending,' Miss Bunn said. 'The photos and YouTube clips do not do it justice. One of the things we were talking about on the way back home was all the things we take for granted.
'All the students who came are doing courses liked uniformed services or childcare – they all want to do something in their career which is about helping people.
'This really brought it home to them and showed they want to make a difference.'
The college is continuing to collect donations, which can be brought to its premises in St Peter's Street, Lowestoft.
Are you raising money for those affected by the north of England floods? Tell The Journal by calling 01502 525820 or email lowestoft.journal@archant.co.uk
